Secondary phosphine oxides proved to be effective preligands to stabilise a hydroxy-platinum based catalyst that allows the aerobic/anaerobic oxidation of challenging substrates. Kinetic comparisons showed that this system is more efficient and stable than previously reported similar palladium-based catalysts. A neutral platinum dimer bearing bridging hydroxy ligands has been isolated and fully characterised by X-ray diffraction and its involvement in the mechanism has been evidenced by mechanistic studies.